Grading and sorting apparatus



J. CONTE. GRADlNG AND SORHNG APPARATUS.

APPLlCATlON HLED iUN'r. 9,1920.

Patented May 10, 1921.

3 SHEE1SSHEET 1.

(7&71263 00 e J. CONTE. GRADING AND S ORTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION, FILED JUNE 9,1920. 1,377,399. Patented y 10, 1921.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1. CQNTE. GRADING AND SORTING APPARATUS- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

fiwejm jzzezs C'azaZe Patented May 10, 1921.

ga -Er MN APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9. 1920.

' grading is highly desirable.

UNITED sT Es P AT N OFFICEf JAMES coins, or IDES PLAINES, I LINOIS.

GRADING AND SORTING APPARATUS.

ToaZZ whom it may-concern: I

' Be it known that 1, JAMES CoNrn, a citizen of the v United States, residing at Des Plaines, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grading and Sorting Apparatus, of which the following is a-specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for grading and sorting articles according to size, and more particularly to the design for an apparatus which will sort and grade onions and other vegetables, and also with changes in the dimensions, but not in the style or form of the grading elements, will grade nut meats, fruits and similar articles.

Onions, in particular, by reason of the dried stem or the sprout which extends from the body or bulb of the vegetable for different distances, some times much farther than the dimension of the bulb, and which stem or sprout is very often curved 'or curled, have heretoforebeen regarded so far as I am aware as practically incapableof satisfactory mechanical grading. Also with onions the grading operation mustbe so conducted that the stem' or sprout is not de tached from the bulb nor the outer skin ruptured northe bulb bruisedas the bruising or exposure of the inner layers of the bulb will hasten decay'and the removal of v sizes of onions are sold for eating and vari ous culinary purposes, an intermediate size is valuable chiefly for pickling, while the smaller sizes or sets are employed-for planting. Different prices are obtained for these various sizes so that their separation or 4 At present, so far as I am aware, a large proportion of the grading and sorting of vegetables and fruits is done by hand, which I is a laborious operation and'not at all reliable because the grading 1s not uniform. I

' am aware that blowers and mesh sieves and screens have been heretofore used for sorting and grading of onions and the like, but

these are unsatisfactory, not only because the grading is not effectively accomplished, but also because the articles are bruised and damaged in the operation. Farmers or per- 7 sons engaged in agricultural pursuits usually grade and sort by hand and only two sizes of onions are graded one inchv Specification of Letters Patent.

"as much as they should from the crop. With my apparatus I am able to sortthe onions intofas many grades as may be desired, and

especially into the market size, the picklingsize and the sets, and this is done automatically without damage or injury to the onions and the onions in each grade are uniform.

Among the divers objects'of my invention are the provision of agrading'and sorting" V I Patented May 10, 1921. Application filed June 9, 1920. Serial No. 387,550. A

diameter and over for market use and below apparatus that will grade onions and like articles without damaging them that is sim-' ple n constructlon and dependable in operatlon that is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture so that it may be sold to the user at a relatively moderate price; and which is novel, compact and durable. I

k I preferto' attain the above-mentioned objects by means of the structureillustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a portion of the ,which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sideelevation oftmyimproved sorting and grading appa- Vmus' c e. I,

present specification, and in h Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a the opposite side of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a top plan of the structure shown Y in FigsLl and2. I a

F1g. iris a 'fragmental detailof the receiving ends of the screens and illustratingfthe manner of vibrating the same and the relationof the screen cleaning devices thereto, f

the View being a longitudinal section on line 451-4, Fig. 3.

grading screens.

F g. 6 is an'enlarg'ed fragmental section of the hopper, taken on-line 6-6, Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan, enlarged, of apor- 6 Fig.5 is a transverse section on line 5-5, F1g. 1, showing the means for vibrating the regulating the length of movement of the vibrator element,

j In the drawings, similar reference characters have beenemployed to designate the same parts throughout the divers views.

The mechanism is mountedin and upon a frame consisting of four legs or standards 10, substantially united with the upper and lower side bars 11 and transverse end bars 12. In one end of the frame between the adjacent side bars is mounted the conveyer table 13, the outer end thereof mounted so as to be tangent with the top of the conveyor table, is a conveyer belt pulley 14 having its bearings 15 horizontally adjustable on said frame by means of adjusting screws 16. A conveyer belt or apron 17 passes around conveyer belt pulley 14, and the forward edge of the conveyer table 13 which is suitably rounded to permit of its easy passage thereover.

Mounted above the feeding end of the conveyer belt is an open bottom hopper 18. The walls of the discharge side or the side of the hopper from which the conveyer table extends is a suitable distance above the belt to permit of the passage of the largest size of onion. In order'to distribute the onions evenly over the belt and to prevent them from piling and also to prevent bruising the onions during this distribution, 1 have secured to the hopper wall above the belt a flexible brush 19; This mechanism just de: scribed secures the uniform delivery of the onions or other articles to be graded to the belt and thereafter to the grading screens.

The grading screens just mentioned are of the grizzly type and preferably consist of a plurality of parallel disposed round rods or pipes 20 set a desired distance apart and suitably secured in any desired fashion to two cross-bars 21 positioned on the backs of the rods or pipes and toward the respective ends of the rods, 'Pipes or rods of a comparatively large diameter are preferred as the jamming and bruising of the articles between the rods is thereby prevented. The forward portions of the screen and rods and the cross-bars of each screen rest upon and against tie-rods 22 connecting the upper and intermediate portions of the adj acentstandards or posts 10, while the opposite or rear cross-rods of the screens are provided with centrally disposed rearwardly extending plates 23 which have recesses 24 in their extended edges that surround a vertically disposed vibrator-rod 25 and'are supported by shoulders or nuts 26 adjustably secured to said rod. I I v v Mounted, respectively, below each end of each screen transversely of the main frame are four shafts 27 upon which are moiuited sprockets 28 which carry parallel chains 29. Transversely of each pair of parallel chains is mounted one or more comb backs 30 upon which are teeth 31 which, when uppermost with respect to the chains, enter between rods 20 of the respective screens so as to be moved substantially the length of said screens and to dislodge, without bruising,

any article that may be caught between the rods, Fixed just below the end of the"u per screen between standards 10 is a chute 32 for directing the articles discharged from the adjacent end of the screen into a suitable receptacle such as a bag or basket positioned below the end of the chute. Below the lower screen and also between the standards 10 is a chute 33 which is bent at right angles to di rect the articles discharged from the adjacent end of the lower screen laterally to the side of the apparatus. A suitable receptacle may also be placed below and vertically alining with the lower screen to receive the articles that have passed between the spaced rods of the lower screen. It, of

'course, will be understood that more than two screens can be employed, if desired, or that one of the screens described may be omitted without in any way interfering with the operation of the screen or screens employed. Secured to the ends of each crossbar 21 are upwardly and outwardly inclined wooden strips 34 that serve as side frames for the screens so as to prevent articles escaping laterally from the sides thereof instead of being carried longitudinally to and discharged from the lower end thereof. Mounted between the upper end of sideframes 34 of the lower screen or screens is a guard 35 preferably made from wire mesh which will prevent the articles from escaping over the upper ends of the lower screens.

vibrator bar 25 is screwed into a rectangular block 41 having a beveled lower edge 42 and to prevent the block 41 twisting, right-angular pieces 43 are secured to the under face of cross-bar'37 the depending arms of which pieces act as guides for the sides of blocks 41.

Below cross-bar 3'7 and journaled in the intermediate vertical standard 36 is the main drive-shaft 44 of the machine which has in termediate its bearings the ratchet-wheel 45 the tooth-edge whereof 'coacts with the beveled lower edge 42 of the rectangular block 41 to actuate or vibrate vibrator-bar 25, and thereby impart a quivering action to the screens. In order to adjust the stroke of vibrator-bar 25, adjustable and lock nuts 25 are provided upon the bar just above the tubular embossment 38 of the cross-bar, and nuts 25 may be adjusted 'on the vibrator bar 25 so that they will not engage the upper ing the vibrator bar 25 and the screens the full length ofvibratiom'but upon adjusting nuts 25 do wnwardly so that-the lower face of the lower nutcontacts the upper endof embossment 38 the lengthof thevibratory movement may be controlled; This permits adjustment. in the event'of 'wear upon either block 41 or the ratchet. On one endof the main drive-shaft which extends beyond the frame of the machine is mounteda drivepulley 47 to be connected by means. of; belt with any desired'source of power. An idler pulley 48 isrmounted loose'on shaft 44 ad jacent the drive-pulley so that'byshifting the belt the machine may be stoppediwithout turning off or stoppingithe power.

The opposite end of drive-shaftl44also extends beyond; its bearings in the framewhere it is provided with a grooved pulley 49 carrying a belt 50 which rotatessa. blower fan 51 located between theiscreensa. for the purpose of blowingthersmall dirt,-.detached skins, and other matter from the articles being graded. The two forward shafts 27 are extended beyond the main frame on the same side on which the drive and idler pulleys are located'and alining sprockets 54 are mounted on these extendedends which are connected with an endless sprocket chain 55. Between the sprocket 54 on the lower shaft and the main frame is mounted another sprocket 56, and upon the main drive-shaft 44 and alining with sprocket 56 is a sprocket 57. An endless sprocket chain 58 connects sprockets 56 and 57 thereby furnishing power for driving the two pairs of parallel chains 29 and moving comb backs 30 carrying teeth 31 longitudinallyof and between.

rods or pipes 20 of the screens, v I

Also secured upon the main drive-shaft 44 between the power and idler pulleys and the main frame is another sprocket 59 and arranged side by side with sprocket 57. Mounted preferably to the rear and above main'driveshaft 44 and transversely of the main frame is another shaft 60 which eX- tends beyond the main frame on both sides.

3 Mounted on one of the extended ends of shaft 60 so as to aline with sprocket 59 is a sprocket 61 which is connected with sprocket 59 with an endless sprocket chain 62. Upon.

the opposite extended end, of shaft 60 1s a "ameter to prevent thejamming and bruis ing of anyof the. articles to be graded and that the vibration or trembling of the screens isnotisufliciently violent to cause the damage of the articles. The toothed combs will effectively cleanthescreens of suchvonions or other articles whichbyreason of their stems or spr'outsare not passed along the screens by. {their inclination and their movement. No articlescan pass between the rods which are of: greater diameter than the separation of the rods, and it willtherefore be seen that I have provided an effective and simple apparatus for positively. grading ,onions and other articles,ino matter how irregular their outline, which willnot damage the articles.

. Wl1atIiclaimis:- ':E V 7 -1 .;,In-a grading machine. a movable grading elem'ent,a vibrator member having co- 1 active relation with said gradingelement, a rotatable toothed wheel coacting' with, said vibrator; member, and means, for adjusting the latitude of movement of the vibrator member.

2. In a grading machine an inclined movable grading element, a vibrator member having coactive relation with said grading element, a rotatable toothed wheel coacting withsaid vibrator member, and means for adjusting the inclination of said grading element. v

3. In a. rading machine an inclined movable grading element, a vibrator member having coactive relation with said grading element, a rotatable toothed wheel coacting with said vibrator. member, means for adjusting the inclination of said grading element, and separate means for adjustingthe latitude of movement of the vibrator mem- 7 her.

4. In a grading machine a plurality of movableinclined grading elements, a vibrator member having 'coactlve' relatlon with each grading element, a rotatable toothed wheel coacting with said vibrator member,

and means for adjusting the inclination of each grading element independent of each other.

'5. In agrading machine aplurality' of movable grading elements, a vibrator member having coactive relation with each grading element, a rotatable toothed wheel coacting with said vibrator member, and means foradjusting the latitude of movement of the vibrator member.

6. In a grading machine a plurality of movable inclined grading elements, a vibrator member having coactive relation with each grading element, a rotatable toothed wheel coacting with said'vibrator member, means for adjusting the inclination of each grading element independent ofeach other, and separate means foradjusting the latitude of movement of the vibrator member.

-7. In a grading machine a plurality of grading elements disposed one above the other, a vibrator member havin ooactive relation with adjacent ends of eac grading element, a suitable device coacting with the vibrator member for actuating the same, and means for adjusting the latitude of movement of said vibrator member.

8. In a grading machine a plurality of gradingelements disposed in inclined planes one above the other, a vibrator member coacting with and supporting one end of each grading element, means carried by said vibrator member for adjusting the inclination of each grading element, and a suitable device coacting wlth the vibrator member for actuating the same.

'9. A grading machine comprising a supporting frame, a hopper mounted thereon, a conveyer belt movable longitudinally of said frame below said hopper, a grading element of parallel rods secured in spaced relation, means supporting one end of said grading element below the plane of the conveyer belt, combs movable m a path extending longitudinally between said grading rods, a movable rod supporting the other end of said grading element and maintaining the same in an inclined position, a main drive-shaft, atoothed wheel mounted thereon and coacting with said rod whereby a relatively rapid vibratory movement is imparted to said rod and the grading element carried thereby, means for limiting the latitude of vibration imparted by said toothed wheel, and means connected with said main shaft whereby said movable elements are actuated.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 4th day of 'June, 1920.

JAMES CONTE.

Witnesses:

DANnzn A. AMBnUso, FLORENCE MrrcHnLL. 

